Photo credit: Island Images (Cooksey), Liz Wolter (Silich), Chaisson Creative (Tung)
Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Cole Cooksey, Cranbrook Bucks forward Jack Silich and Alberni Valley Bulldogs goaltender Callum Tung have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Cole Cooksey (F) – Salmon Arm Silverbacks
Cooksey tied for the league lead in both goals and points last with with four goals and six points in four contests.
The Merrimack College commit scored the Silverbacks fourth goal in their 4-1 win last Tuesday in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Merritt Centennials. The next night, Cooksey had his first multi-point game of the postseason, registering a goal and an assist in a 5-4 loss.
Back in Salmon Arm for Game 5, the 19-year-old assisted on his team’s only goal in a 1-0 victory. Cooksey saved his best performance for last, notching two goals in the Silverbacks 4-1 Game 6 win on Saturday night, including the game-winner, to help his team clinch the series and move on to the second round.
Through six postseason contests, Cooksey leads Salmon Arm with seven points and is in an 11-way tie for third in BCHL playoff points.
2nd Star – Jack Silich (F) – Cranbrook Bucks
Silich racked up three goals and three assists in four games last week, helping the Bucks come all the way back from down 3-0 in their series with the West Kelowna Warriors to force a Game 7.
After being held off the score sheet in a 3-2 loss in Game 3 last Tuesday, the Long Grove, Ill. product had a goal and an assist in the third period of Game 4, guiding Cranbrook to a dramatic 4-3 comeback win to save their season. In Friday’s Game 5 back in West Kelowna, Silich scored twice in the second period and added a helper in the third for a three-point night in the Bucks 6-5 victory. He was named first star of the game.
The 20-year-old picked up an assist in Game 6 on Sunday in Cranbrook’s 4-3 overtime win.
Silich leads the Bucks with seven points in six postseason contests.
3rd Star – Callum Tung (G) – Alberni Valley Bulldogs
Tung won two of his four starts last week and put up a .934 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average after stopping 128 of the 137 shots he faced.
In Game 3 of the Bulldogs first-round series with the Coquitlam Express, Tung stopped 26 of 29 shots to earn the 5-3 victory, including 13 saves in the third period alone as the Express made a push to even things up. The following night, the Port Moody, B.C. native made 39 saves in a losing effort as Alberni dropped a 3-1 decision.
Tung had another solid performance in a losing effort in Game 5 on Friday, swatting aside 22 of 24 shots in a 2-1 defeat. He capped off his week by earning first star in Game 6 the next night, stopping 41 of 42 shots in a 3-1 win to force a seventh and deciding game.
Through six playoff games, the University of Connecticut commit owns a 3-3 record, a .924 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average.
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Honourable mentions:
Salmon Arm Silverbacks G Eli Pulver: 4GP – 3W – .935 SV% – 1.75 GAA
Chilliwack Chiefs G Austin McNicholas: 2GP – 2W – .930 SV% – 1.82 GAA
Coquitlam Express G Adam Manji: 4GP – 2W – .929 SV% – 2.02 GAA
Cowichan Valley Capitals F Gavin Giesbrecht: 3GP – 3G – 2A – 5PTS
Vernon Vipers F Isaac Tremblay: 3GP – 1G – 4A – 5PTS
Victoria Grizzlies F Chase Pirtle: 3GP – 3G – 1A – 4PTS
West Kelowna Warriors F Felix Caron: 4GP – 4G – 4PTS
